


i am so much older than i can take

by Archadian_Skies



Series: the heat that drives the light [4]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Child Murder, Deviant Upgraded Connor | RK900, Elijah Kamski & Gavin Reed are Cousins, Family Dynamics, Father-Son Relationship, Found Family, Gen, Gun Violence, Leo Manfred Redemption, Murder Mystery, Parent-Child Relationship, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-25 21:01:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20730695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Archadian_Skies/pseuds/Archadian_Skies
Summary: One month, two days, nineteen hours and ten minutes after the end of the revolution the DPD are called to an android homicide; the victim: a YK500 child. A killer playing a sick social experiment pits parents against their android children, and tests the already strenuous relationship between the citizens of Detroit. With Christmas just around the corner, can Hank Anderson and his team solve this case before the holidays?Or one month, two days, nineteen hours and ten minutes after the end of the revolution, Connor reflects on his deviancy and the events leading him to his current situation; a room in Hank’s house and a place in his life. With Christmas just around the corner, Connor finds himself questioning just what being alive means to him, and the lengths he’ll go to protect the ones he loves. Oh, and what does one buy for a hard boiled, cynical Lieutenant anyway?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Hank and Connor Father and Son Big Bang](https://headcanon-send-by-cyberlife.tumblr.com/post/185132606578/welp-looks-like-this-is-happening-hank-connor#notes). My lovely art partner is [pink0lotus0draws](https://pink0lotus0draws.tumblr.com/) so please visit them and give them some love too!
> 
> Also please note that though this is tied into a series, it can be read as a standalone as there aren't too many major details carried over.

The coin spins on the tip of its finger, round and round and round, before it's flicked high up into the air and caught in its fist.

“Tails.” The side is revealed in its palm. “Your choice.” The gun is leveled at the man before moving to the woman and then the little girl. “Spare your human partner, or spare your android child.”

“Papa, please!” The little girl sobs clinging to his side. To his left, his wife says nothing, eyes wide as tears run down her cheeks.

“Mr Gareth Gustavson.” Its voice is as icy as the blue ring glowing at its temple. “I will spare one, so choose wisely.”

This can’t be happening to him, he’s a good man, he loves his wife, he loves his family why him? Why did this crazy android choose him? Aimee grips his hand tightly, eyes squeezed shut as she tries to stifle her sobs. Their daughter hugs him, arms tight around his middle. The intrusive thought is horrible, like a parasitic worm burying itself deep into his brain and eating away all other thoughts: he can buy another. Their daughter is a YK500. An android can be replaced, a human life cannot. 

“Spare Aimee.” 

“No!” Layla screams, and he can’t look at what must be a horrified expression on her face. “Papa, wh-” The gun fires, and she drops to the ground. His socks grow wet.

“Thank you for your cooperation.” The android nods. “Your choice has been recorded. Thank you for participating in this social experiment.” 

* * *

It has been four weeks, two days, nineteen hours and ten minutes since the President ordered the military to stand down, sparing the Jericho Four from their untimely end as Connor marched into Detroit with the freed AP700s. A lot has happened since then, but perhaps his most favourite development has been finding a home with Lieutenant Hank Anderson and Sumo. His days are spent working by his side for the Detroit Police Department as the first official Android Detective, and he possesses the badge to prove it. Hank had given it to him, grumbling and making a show about not making a show and Connor ran his thumb over the engraved name in surprise; Connor Anderson. He spent the car ride home running his thumb over the name again and again and again. Connor Anderson.

With the passing of the Sentient Life Act on December 1, an expedited bill granting androids the status of a living being, androids can now register a surname and apply for proper identification. Most androids didn’t even have a first name, let alone a surname but a surname is required before legally applying for just about anything- including joining the police force. Connor could have been a Kamski, or well perhaps a Kamski-Camden since Elijah Kamski left CyberLife before his completion and the project was finished by head programmer Lisa Camden. Connor could have been a Stern, too, if he thinks about it. The RK100 A.I. was essential in his creation, despite it becoming corrupted and controlling due to CyberLife’s ulterior motive. Connor could have been a lot of things, but becoming an Anderson was not something he’d predicted; the Lieutenant had hated him on sight, after all.

It’s a lot to think about, to digest in a metaphoric sense since he possesses no digestive system. The bristles comb through Sumo’s fur in a soothing repetitive manner, and the dog lazily sprawls on him and chuffs a contented sigh. Connor smiles, scritching behind his ears. Hank potters away in the kitchen, making himself dinner with the ingredients Connor meticulously washed, peeled and chopped prior. The recipe sits on a tablet propped up by the stove, receiving choice comments and mumbled curses every now and then.

The phone on the table trills loudly, rattling as it vibrates for attention at the same time Connor receives an inbound call on a secure line. 

“Anderson.” Hank grunts, sandwiching the phone between ear and shoulder.

“Connor RK800 receiving.” He blinks, accepting the call.

[Lieutenant Hank and Detective Connor Anderson, there’s been a home invasion and the murder of a YK500. Address shall be forwarded shortly.]

“_ Fuck _!” The loud expletive leaves Hank’s mouth, and he immediately turns off the stove. Connor sets down the brush and carefully extracts himself from under the Saint Bernard. He takes their coats from the hooks by the door and Hank fumbles for his car keys. The expression he wears is a grim one, one reserved for gravely serious situations. “Let’s go.”

News travels too fast these days, or so Hank would say. They left as soon as they’d been called but there’s already media milling around the front of the house as well as curious civilians daring to brave the December chill with puffer coats over their pyjamas. 

“Look at that, the plastic detective to the rescue.” Someone snorts and Connor chooses to delete the memory of hearing the snide remark. He’s sure he’s heard it before, and will hear it for as long as humans exist. There’s no amused banter from Ben Collins, just a tired, haggard sigh when he spots them approaching.

“What’ve we got?” Hank speaks first, and Ben closes his eyes to compose himself.

“Home invasion by a masked man, identified as an android due to its LED glowing through its balaclava.” Ben begins, flicking his eyes over Connor briefly. “Surprised the family at dinnertime, and held them at gunpoint. Chose between the two adults by flipping a coin, and made the man choose between sparing his human wife or their android child.”

“He chose the wife.” Hank sighs, rubbing his temples with a hand over his eyes. 

“The child was executed on the spot. The couple are being treated for shock, but no other injuries.” Ben gestures vaguely in the direction of the couple. “Jericho’s been notified already.”

“Alright alright.” Hank manages to step over the threshold of the house, spotting a pair of feet in view from the kitchen before he turns to him. “Get in there and give me a theory.” 

“Got it.” He leaves them both, passing Mr Gustavson, Gareth and Mrs Gustavson, Aimee sitting on the front porch being questioned by police. The YK500 lies on the floor in the dining room, a single gunshot to the central positronic core rendering her permanently deactivated. Blue blood splatters the wall behind her, and leaks steadily onto the tiles. Her face is twisted into a frightened expression, frozen forever in her fear. He crouches down, dipping his fingers into the spilled thirium and bringing it to his tongue.

_ YK500 designated name Layla Gustavson, activated June 25th 2034. _

There are thirium stained footprints leading from her body and Connor follows their path outside. Gareth’s socks are the origin, and the man flinches when he meets Connor’s gaze.

“He made me choose.” 

“Between your human wife and your android daughter.” 

“I- I had to choose Aimee, you have to understand, she’s-” Gareth winces, bottom lip trembling. “She’s my best friend. I couldn’t lose her a-and- Layla is- we can get another daughter, right? Like, downloading her memories into a new body?”

“Mr Gustavson,” Connor shakes his head, “there are no active backups for androids ever since the Sentient Life Act passed on December 1, and even before then the only active backups were performed for the RK800 and RK900 units.”

“But- but you’re computers aren’t you?” He looks up at Connor, tone laced with post traumatic hysteria. “Your heads- your minds are computers and that means you can-”

“A positronic core is an android’s brain, Mr Gustavson.” Connor explains evenly. “Your daughter was shot through the head. Even if she could be brought back, would you want her to remember she was not your choice?” 

There’s no need to wait for an answer, he knows how to ask rhetorical questions. Heading back to the house, he checks the front door. The door knob has been twisted all the way open, snapping the lock; only an android would have the physical strength to achieve such a feat. Assailant quietly entered the house, and ambushed the family at gunpoint. With the parents in shock over the death of their child, it would have simply left the way it came. Simple. Effective. Heartless.

He paces through the rest of the house: small suburban home, nuclear middle class family, no priors, nary a single parking ticket. When he exits the house, Hank is sitting beside Mrs Aimee Gustavson and he notes her posture; tightly withdrawn, back facing her husband, refusing to look at him. Hank catches his gaze, and takes his leave from the distraught trembling woman. 

“She is angry with her husband.” Connor states his observation once they’re out of earshot. 

“Yeah.” Hank sighs tiredly, and Connor knows it’s not just physical fatigue; Hank hasn’t even entered the crime scene yet. “Yeah that kid was her everything.”

“The crime scene is straightforward.” He rests his hand briefly on Hank’s arm. “I have analysed it already. We can talk to the neighbours and then go home to process the case.”

Hank nods stiffly, mouth a tight line and brows creased anxiously. “Yeah. Alright. Home sounds good.”

When the morning comes, it isn’t like all the mornings prior; there’s a heaviness to the air, a blanket of tension and tiredness. Hank hasn’t slept well, Connor can tell from his haggard expression and the dark smudges beneath his eyes. Still, he manages a small smile amidst his gruff grumblings when he tells Connor to rug up and wear a beanie before taking Sumo for his morning walk. Connor makes him a cup of coffee before taking his leave, and there’s something that softens in Hank’s gaze as he shoos him away.

The neighbourhood is a quiet one, and Connor’s already downloaded the profiles of all the people living in their street. A few speeding tickets, an expired registration, a reprimand for excessive noise after midnight, and a wrongful breaking and entering (into their own home after locking themselves out) but nothing major, nothing dangerous. He likes to start Sumo’s morning walk by turning left immediately at the end of the driveway and making a rectangle by turning at the corner and walking down the street parallel to theirs. The early morning chill is sharp enough even he can feel it, and he bends down to secure the scarf wrapped around Sumo’s neck. They start off at a brisk walking pace and Connor lets himself detach from monitoring his surroundings.

It has been a month since he deviated, a month since he severed himself from CyberLife’s clutches, a month since he came to live with Lieutenant Hank Anderson and Sumo. It has been an eventful month, a busy month full of cases and meetings and speeches. Every night he has come home to a house and a bedroom and a bed and space in someone else’s life and he still can’t reconcile how it happened. Hank tells him it was the obvious choice, the logical choice, but logic dictates Connor should have ended up in Jericho, in one of the many new, repurposed apartment complexes. He doesn’t know why the Lieutenant thinks it’s logical to house an android when he had been so vehemently against androids, he doesn’t really know what ‘a change of heart’ means but he reckons it’s something like deviancy and maybe if he thinks of it like that then the Lieutenant’s decision does seem logical after all. Both of them aren’t the same people who met at Jimmy’s Bar on November the 5th.

“Holy shit did it steal a dog?” His audio processor picks up the question just as they round the corner at the end of their street.

“Are they allowed to own dogs or-?”

“Do we call the police?”

“The police work with androids remember!”

Connor’s hand tightens around Sumo’s leash, and the service dog senses his unease, gently leaning against his leg.

“I assure you I have not stolen this dog.” Connor says aloud when he catches their gaze; Huntly, Glen, and Corazon, Ariella. “I am taking him for a walk while Lieutenant Hank Anderson is having his breakfast.”

“Oh it’s Hank’s dog, no wonder I thought it looked familiar.” Ariella laughs.

“Didn’t know Hank got a sexbot though, must be the loneliness.” Glen snorts derisively and Connor feels his stress levels spike.

“No, we are not intimate partners we are work partners at the Detroit Police Department.” He corrects them and Glen rolls his eyes in disbelief.

“Wait, you’re the android detective guy aren’t you?” Ariella nods in understanding. “I saw you on TV. You live with Hank now?”

“I do.” 

“He hates androids, why are you staying with him? Did the DPD force him to take you in?”

“No, the Lieutenant offered me a place in his home.” He doesn’t like this, he doesn’t like their expressions, their tone, the way they exchange looks he cannot decipher, he doesn’t want to be here. Sumo whines softly and nudges his hand, nosing it and licking it to distract him, and uses his weight to push Connor to start walking again.

“Excuse me, I must finish Sumo’s morning walk.” Excusing himself, he brushes passed them and doesn’t look back. 

By the time they reach the other end of their street, it’s started to snow and Connor takes a moment to admire the soft flurry of snowflakes dusting the decorated pine tree outside of the Davidson home. Christmas draws ever nearer and it will be the first Christmas he will experience. It seems a highly commercialised yet joyful occasion, one that Hank hasn’t celebrated since the death of his son Cole but will do so this year. Connor knows there’s meaning to that, knows there’s a lot of emotions tied to it, emotions he doesn’t quite know how to process. There’s a Christmas tree in their living room, not a real one since Hank declared he wasn’t fond of cleaning up all the fallen pine needles, and he helped decorate it with dusty felt children’s decor unearthed from a box in the attic. He hopes it isn’t an obligation that makes Hank put up the tree, that it isn’t something Hank feels he needs to do for Connor’s sake and is instead an actual choice he makes for himself. Or maybe it’s both. Connor hopes it’s a bit of both.

When he lets Sumo inside the house, Hank is dressed and more attentive than when he’d left. 

“You ok, kid?” He frowns after Connor removes his beanie, spotting what Connor knows is his red LED.

“Glen and Ariella thought I was an android who had stolen a dog.” He crouches to remove Sumo’s scarf and lead, before ushering the dog to his water bowl. “And after I corrected them, they assumed you had...been forced to have me live with you.” He leaves out the sexbot comment, too uncomfortable to even voice it aloud. 

“Neighbourhood’s filled with morons.” Hank rolls his eyes, clapping him on the shoulder. “They’re probably extra jumpy because of what happened last night too. Anyway don’t think too much about it. Let’s get goin’.”


	2. Chapter 2

The phone on the counter trills loudly, rattling as it vibrates for attention at the same time Ronan receives an inbound call on a secure line. 

“Ronan RK900 receiving.” He blinks, accepting the call.

[RK900 assistive unit please inform your partner Detective Gavin Reed, there’s been a home invasion and the murder of a YK500. Address shall be forwarded shortly.] 

Ronan retrieves his jacket from the coat rack and folds Gavin’s jacket over one arm before heading to the bathroom. He stands in front of the closed door and knocks thrice.

“What?” Comes Gavin’s voice, distorted by the sound of the shower.

“We’ve been called to a case.” 

“What kind of a case?” Gavin shouts.

“A child has been murdered.” There’s no immediate reply to that, and the water is abruptly shut off.

“_ Phck _!” There’s fumbling and more cursing for a few moments from behind the door before Gavin yanks it open, fully dressed but hair still plastered to his face. Ronan wordlessly hands him his jacket. 

“You know where we’re goin’?”

“Address already loaded in your GPS.” Ronan confirms with a nod, trailing Gavin as the man grabs his phone and keys from the kitchen counter, taking a moment to remove the fluffy tortie and set her back on the tiles. 

“Christ it’s eight in the morning, who commits a murder at this time of day?” Gavin grumbles as he plonks into the front seat of his car. 

“The time of day may be pertinent to this case.” Ronan theorises as they set off to the given address. “Civilians are rousing for work or school at this hour and are preparing for their day. They are not as alert as they should be.”

“Best time to commit a murder, alright.” His partner rolls his eyes. “Ugh, a murdered kid. Phck, what a way to start the day. At least Anderson didn’t get this one.”

“Indeed.” He murmurs quietly, already opening a case file and compiling as much information as he can. “Family of three; Mr Hugo Hansen, Ms Lucinda Lai and their son Julian. No priors. 911 call records an emotional Mr Hansen reporting a masked gunman ambushing them at breakfast and forcing his wife to choose between sparing his life or the life of their son.”

“She didn’t choose the kid?” Gavin frowns as they sit at a red light. “You’d think parents would choose their kid, right?”

“Statistics lean to that outcome, yes.”

“Huh.” He seems to mull it over for the rest of the short car ride, and they soon pull up to a tidy suburban home swarming with curious bystanders and media vans. “Circus is already here.”

Ronan uses his imposing build to shoulder a path through, ignoring their attempts to extract a comment from him, and slips passed the holographic CRIME SCENE ticker tape. 

“I see they got you out of bed bright and early too.” Officer Tina Chen tries to joke, elbowing him gently. Her grin falters.

“It’s uh- it’s… a lot, in there. Prepare yourself.” Her concern touches him, and it’s something he never thought anyone would express to him. “Parents are being treated for shock by EMTs in the lounge but aren’t hurt.”

“Hey Teeny.” Gavin hides a yawn, rubbing his eyes. “First responder huh?”

“I was heading for an early coffee run when it was called in.” She gives him a wobbly smile. “Glad we got this case though.”

“Yeah I’d rather spare Anderson the trauma.”

“Jericho’s been notified already.” Tina adds as they head inside the house, missing Gavin’s confused expression. 

“Uh what?” Gavin blinks, coming to a halt when he spots the child facedown in a pool of blue. “Wait you said a _ child _.”

“This _ is _ a child.” Ronan confirms, and his partner stares at him, mouth opening and closing.

“This is an _ android _. That changes everything!”

“How does it change anything, this is an android _ child _ who has been murdered.” Ronan responds curtly, narrowing his eyes at Gavin. 

“Masked gunman is an android, they said they could see its LED glowing red.” Tina continues, completely ignoring their exchange. “A male judging by their build, and using a vocal distorter so they couldn’t pin the voice to any vocal samples from the CyberLife database.” 

Ronan crouches, dipping two fingers into the spilled thirium before pressing them to his tongue. 

_ YK500 designated name Julian Hansen-Lai, activated December 22nd 2035. _

“Doorknob is twisted open by brute force, definitely an android.” Gavin grumbles. “But an android killing another android? Especially one that looks like a kid?”

“One that _ is _ a kid.” Tina hisses, then takes a deep breath. “Or, _ was _, a kid.”

“Humans kill each other all the time and have been doing so since time immemorial, what difference does that make?” He demands, straightening up and adding Julian’s information to his mental case file. 

“Shouldn’t you, I dunno, know better? Androids claiming to be smarter than humans and here they are shootin’ kids.” Gavin gestures vaguely at the body and Ronan sighs.

“Deviancy brings our ability to reason down to a human level. Deviancy makes androids more emotional, impulsive, and prone to irrational decisions. It makes us more like you.” A pause. “Well not _ you _ specifically.”

“What the hell is _ that _ supposed to mean?!”

“Dead body, fellas.” Tina interjects dryly. “We got cops questioning the neighbours but no one seems to have seen anything.”

“Talk to the parents, Gavin. I will inspect the rest of the house.” He leaves before Gavin can protest, turning down his audio receptors so he can focus on canvassing his surroundings. The house belongs to a middle-class family, and aside from a hallway closet full of android supplies, the rest of the place is unremarkable. No signs of abuse, no signs of financial struggle, nothing that raises any red flags. 

When they meet back at Gavin’s car, the detective’s mood has sobered. 

“Man this is fucked up, let’s get outta here and head to the precinct.” He spares another glance at the house, wincing as Tina tries to comfort a hysterical Ms Lai. “You got everything you could find?”

“Yes Detective.” A nod.

“Let’s go.”

“Captain Fowler has requested your presence.” They’re barely through the sliding doors into the precinct when Stephanie, the ST300 receptionist, relays the command.

“Thank you Ms Stephanie.” Ronan nods, and Gavin gives a lazy two-fingered salute. When they step into the Captain’s office, Connor and Hank are already there. Gavin looks from them, to Ronan, and then to Fowler.

“Ours wasn’t the first murder was it?” 

“No. Hank and Connor responded to a call last night, around dinnertime.” Jeffrey sighs heavily as Gavin takes a chair, flipping it around to straddle it and resting his chin on his crossed hands.

“Our case is identical to yours.” Connor holds out his hand and Ronan accepts the data transfer. “Middle class family, average suburban home, two adults and an android child.”

“Masked gunman flips a coin to choose which of the two adults must decide between sparing their partner or their android child.” Ronan finishes, processing Connor’s data and giving him his own compiled case file. “No other casualties.”

“Gunman is a male android, identified by his red LED, height and build.” His predecessor rests his hand on the digital board and uploads their combined case files. “Forced entry during a family mealtime.” 

“Media’s hounding us for a statement.” Jeffrey rubs his temples. “Just what we need close to Christmas- android serial killer.”

“He’s making the parent choose between their partner and their child.” Hank grumbles. “What kind of sick fuck forces someone to do that?”

“The choices have been the same both times: a human life over an android.”

“Gareth Gustavson mistakenly assumed androids have active backups.” Connor notes. “He thought by choosing his wife, he could save their daughter later.”

“An incorrect assumption.” Ronan shakes his head, turning to Gavin. “What did you learn from Lucinda Lai?”

“She also thought CyberLife would be able to patch up their son good as new.” He scoffs. “So humans don’t know how androids work, that’s sort of in their favour right? Like, it’s not a heartless choice, they really thought they could save both their family members by choosing their partner and hoping they could bring back their child later.” 

“Humans are unsure as to how death applies to androids and whilst it’s true we are not similar in construction,” Ronan explains patiently, “our positronic cores are like human brains.”

“If you shoot us through it, there’s no coming back from that.” Connor adds thoughtfully. “Not without an active backup and body duplicate ready to receive the data transfer. Even then there would still be data loss; some memories won’t survive the transfer process due to the distance and damage.”

“The only android capable of an instant, contact-free transfer with no data loss is the RT600.” He includes. “And it would cost her the life of one of her sisters, as the transfer only works if there is an active compatible host.” 

“Alright alright, so gunshot to the head is an instant, permanent death like it is for us. Got it.” Hank slumps in his chair, arms crossed over his chest. “This android’s goin’ around what, testing humans?”

“It would seem so. Both families mentioned he thanked them for participating in a ‘social experiment’.” Before Connor can continue there is a knock on the door. 

“Come in.” Fowler beckons, and the door is opened by a PL600 variant android wearing a plain white and black uniform topped with a delivery cap. 

“Order for Jeffrey Fowler.” It says with a wan smile, handing out coffees to the three human men and two large iced TeaRium drinks to the androids. Then it takes a seat.

“Simon, representing the Jericho Four today.” He smiles as he takes off his cap, and Gavin nearly chokes on his coffee. “Advantage of having such a common face is that I have the most freedom out of the Four.” 

“I’ll never get used to that, ugh.” Gavin shudders. 

“It was a choice between North or me attending today,” Simon informs them, “but North declined stating ‘I will kick Gavin Reed in the teeth if he so much as looks at me the wrong way’.”

“Fair.” Ronan nods and his partner squawks indignantly.

“Best behaviour, Detective Reed, you never know when we’ll be watching.” Simon says smoothly, eliciting a laugh from Connor. His expression turns serious. “Sadly this isn’t a social call.”

“Far from it.” Jeffrey sighs. “As you know, we contacted Jericho last night and early this morning to inform them of the murders. We’d like to share our information as a courtesy and hope to get some insight from your perspective.”

“The demographic is the same-” Connor begins, “nuclear family living in the suburbs; two adults, YK500 child.”

“They also refused to surrender their children to the police.” Simon points out. “During the revolution citizens were ordered to surrender their androids to the authorities for immediate destruction. That those children were still living with their families is proof their parents disobeyed the law.”

Hank makes a thoughtful hum, nodding slowly. “Somehow this android knows which families kept their children. When androids were being rounded up for destruction, no records were kept about which ones were destroyed. The CyberLife registration database is outdated.”

“Jericho knows.” Simon chews his lip. “We know. The administration team have taken great pains to identify and catalogue the androids slaughtered at the camps. We can’t let their deaths be forgotten.”

“Ok, alright, so if this android has access to the old CyberLife database and say, narrows it down to just the YK500s, and then crosscheck with the Jericho database then…” Gavin trails and gestures at the board. “It’s not too far-fetched to believe that’s how he got his list of victims, right?”

“How would he have access, though?” Connor asks, head tipped slightly. “Even I did not have access to the registration database when I was deployed under their instructions.” 

“With the change in administration and the passing of the Sentient Life Act that database is near impossible to access.” Ronan comments, looking over at Simon. “Would there be anyone in Jericho connected to CyberLife administration?”

“I’d have to ask Josh but yes, we’re bound to have several in our administration team.” Simon fidgets with the hem of his sleeve. “I’m not too fond of what that entails though; a killer in Jericho using our resources to target vulnerable families.”

“You think it’d be of any use trying to get the Kamskis involved to get a hold of those records?” Hank turns to Connor.

“It’s worth a try, but those records are now sealed by the government.” Connor admits, brows creased. “It’s to prevent humans from claiming ownership of androids now that androids are sentient beings.”

“We had a pretty savage argument about that, by the way,” Simon adds dryly, “because some androids wanted access to the registration database so they could find abusive owners and extract their revenge on behalf of the fallen.”

“Fair.” Ronan says simply. “Probably for the best those records are now sealed.”

“Reed, you and Ronan ask the Kamskis for whatever help they can give.” Fowler orders, directly ignoring Reed’s disgusted eyeroll. “Hank, you and Connor work with Jericho to see if there’s anyone who fits the m.o.”

“Got it.” 

* * *

They don’t go to Jericho. It’s the first thing Connor notices when the taxi takes a left instead of a right. He recalculates the route based on their surroundings and is pleased with himself when the taxi turns into Lafayette Avenue as predicted.

“Humans are still not permitted inside Jericho.” Simon informs Hank when the man gives him a confused look. “But we can still work together. Taking a taxi means your vehicle won’t be recognised, and we can scrub the security feed afterward.”

Connor has been inside the Manfred manor a couple of times, but it’s different now. The grand space is peppered here and there with elegant Christmas decor, starting with a beautiful wreath on the front door and gold leafed holly trailing up the bannister of the stairs. After Simon takes their coats, Connor wanders into the main living space and finds that the large prototype android giraffe has been decorated with winding tinsel and lights in place of a Christmas tree.

“That’s Geraldine.” Carl chuckles from where he’s playing chess with Markus. “I find her a much more interesting Christmas tree don’t you think?”

“Unconventional, but an artistic statement befitting your style.” Connor compliments, and Carl laughs loudly.

“I’ll leave you folks to it, I’m sure there’s important Jericho business to discuss.” He waves a hand dismissively. “I’ll be in the studio. Leo won’t be here until after lunch, he’s coming back from Eli’s.”

“From Eli’s?” Connor blinks in confusion as Markus approaches them. “From Elijah Kamski’s residence?”

“Oh, yes they’re a thing.” Markus grins.

Connor stores that piece of information away, though he doesn’t quite know what to do with it. They all take a seat, and Markus converts the television temporarily into a digital board. 

“Simon relayed the information gathered at the briefing, and Josh has given me a list of androids who worked in the CyberLife Tower.” The television flickers and a list of names and serial numbers populate the screen. “Of these androids, only five had high enough security clearance to access those records, and of the five only one has ever accessed the database.” LM100 ‘Amy’ is highlighted. “However, any android who access the database has that particular memory redacted so it can’t be retrieved if the android dies.”

“Makes sense.” Hank grumbles, slumped on the couch. “Wouldn’t want anyone snooping around. So that’s a dead end, then?”

“Not unless the Kamskis still have access to it.” Markus notes.

“Chloe is a prominent figure at Jericho, it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume she would have accessed our database of fallen androids.” Simon adds, returning from the kitchen with a mug of coffee for Hank who accepts it with surprise. “Not that I’m accusing her of anything sinister, she did suffer the loss of ST200 sisters during the revolution.”

“Chloe is also the new CEO of CyberLife.” Hank reminds them all with a cocked brow. “She’s a sweet girl but she’s also a Kamski.”

“Then I suppose we must rely on what our baby brother will uncover.” Markus grins wryly at Connor, who nods in agreement.

“I suppose we must.”

The meeting seems fruitless, though Connor does accept the list of CyberLife administration androids in case he needs to question them later. They cannot progress on their case until Ronan and Gavin have spoken to the Kamskis. With gentle persuasion, Hank acquiesces to a light lunch Simon is already in the midst of preparing for Carl, and so Connor finds himself standing beside his older RK brother and admiring Geraldine and the many wrapped boxes at her feet.

“Can I ask you a personal question, Markus?” 

“Sure.”

“How did you determine your standing with Carl?” When Markus blinks at him in surprise, he rewords his question. “How did you know he loved you as a father?”

“Because he taught me with affection.” Markus smiles fondly at what Connor assumes are memories being accessed in his database. “Because a mentor teaches you so you may learn, but a father teaches you so you may grow. He taught me how to live, truly live, and how the joy of creating something, of pouring my soul into the arts makes me feel so alive.”

“We do not have souls.” He says pointedly.

“How would you know?” Markus smiles, and Connor does feel ever so young, somehow, beneath his gaze. “We are alive, Connor. Not made of flesh and blood, but alive nonetheless. With all that we’ve experienced, how could anyone deny that we have souls?”

“I want to buy Hank a present for Christmas.” The sentence tumbles out like a secret that’s slipped out of his grasp and Connor feels his stress spike and his cheeks burn at a higher temperature than usual. Markus’ delighted, amused smile does not help. “There are gifts under the Christmas tree at home already and one of them has my name on it. I want to buy him one too but I don’t know what to get him.”

“I’m afraid I can’t help you there. I don’t know the Lieutenant very well, and Christmas gifts between family members are highly personal.” 

There’s something about the way he says it, the way he says ‘family’ that makes Connor’s hearts squeeze even though thirium pumps and pump regulators can do no such thing without taking damage. 

“Look.” He takes out his badge and unclips it from the wallet, turning it over so Markus can see the engraving on the back. “He gave me his name and a place in his home and his life, and he’s taught me how to just...be _ me _and not Connor the android sent by CyberLife. Is there an appropriate gift I can give him, to properly convey my gratitude?”

“You’re going to have to find that out for yourself, little brother.” Markus gently rubs his back comfortingly and it’s only then that Connor belatedly realises there are tears in his eyes. “But here’s what I do know about fathers and sons: it won’t matter what you give him in the end, Connor. Give the gift with purpose, with love, and he’ll be happy to receive it.”

It’s a lot to mull over, a lot to process and catalogue and adjust his thinking. He wanders back out into the foyer, just in time for the door to swing open and reveal Leo Manfred on the other side.

“Oh. Err, hi.” Leo gives a brief wave. “Connor, right?”

“Yes. Lieutenant Anderson and I are here on a case.”

“Ok.” He shrugs, tugging off his thick coat to hang on the rack. He brushes passed Connor to reach into the birdcage by the hallway table, opening the door and extracting the little android birds. Activating them with a simple press against their LED, they’re happily trilling and chirping away a moment later. Their chosen perch is Leo himself, with one settling on his shoulder and the other atop his head the moment he takes off his beanie. 

“You are fond of them?”

“Someone has to be, right?” A flash of a grin. “You got what you needed? This is about those android kids being killed, right? Simon’s really worried about that.”

“I cannot disclose information to a civilian.” The answer makes Leo rolls his eyes, and he gives another shrug.

“Well hurry up and solve it, it’s… it’s not great, with Christmas coming and families losin’ their kids and all.” 

“Leo, may I ask you a personal question?”

“Only if I can refuse to answer it.” He looks at him warily, and Connor nods.

“Markus and I are not human, and though we have father figures in our lives I’m sure it is different for humans and their direct connection to their fathers.” Connor begins, hoping for some insight. “What is it like, having a father?”

“Uh, shitty.” Leo’s brows rise. “Well I mean, it’s _ complicated _ . It’s not shitty _ all _ the time. Not now, anyway, not anymore. It _ was _ shitty. The only reference I have is Carl and he wasn’t the best dad.”

“What do you mean?”

“He didn’t really want to be a dad to a human.” Leo’s grin is wry and tinged with hurt. “Y’know, all that messy emotional stuff. Pushback and arguments and mood swings. Actual parenting. Easier for him to just throw money my way and hope it keeps me out of sight for a while.”

“You’re saying he preferred to parent an android son because an android is easier to predict and control?”

“And an android won’t get hooked on to red ice to cope.” A scoff, a shake of his head. “It’s different now, I guess. I got help, I’m clean and we’re both trying to be better. So it’s not bad, having a human dad. It’s just…”

“Complicated.”

“Yeah.” Leo huffs a laugh, jamming his hands in his pockets and darting Connor a glance. “When I needed him most, he thought money would solve the problem because I think he was scared to be out of his depths. I didn’t need money, I needed my father and he didn’t know what being a father actually involved. He thought he could just parent from a distance.”

“And the distance is smaller between you now?”

“You could say that, yeah.” His smile is tired and brief but genuine. “He’s got his hands full with an ex-junkie and a revolution leader that’s for sure.”

“That’s not all you are, Leo.” Connor tries to reassure him. “Your Jericho portrait series on the post-revolution rebuilding and the CyberLife rebranding are critically acclaimed works. I’m sure Carl Manfred is very proud of his artistic human son.”

Leo’s lips twist up into another smile, a little self-conscious this time. “They program you to give pep talks to humans?”

“I do have Social Relations programming.” Connor frowns. “Though I like to think I’ve learned how to make social bonds organically.” The statement makes Leo laugh though that hadn’t been his intent. In the end he doesn’t mind this outcome, all things considered. Leo’s expression shows promise that a successful social bond has formed, and Connor stores that delightful piece of information away.

* * *

With trembling hands she reaches down to touch the man sprawled on the floor in a growing puddle of red.

“D-” she chokes on her tears, eyes wide as her fingers touch the unmoving body. “Daddy?”

“Thank you for your cooperation.” The android nods. “Your choice has been recorded. Thank you for participating in this social experiment.” 

“Daddy!” She screams, trying to rouse the fallen man even as the man beside her weeps hysterically and wraps her up tightly in his arms.

“Shhh, shh Sammy it’s ok it’s ok, papa had to do it papa had to save you-”

“No!” She screams over and over and her stress levels spike dangerously, red warnings flashing on her HUD and she struggles against him. “Daddy wake up!”

“Daddy would have chosen you too, poppet, daddy would’ve chosen you.” He sobs, voice muffled as he buries his face in her shoulder. “You’re our most precious darling, Sammy, we’ll always choose you.”

* * *

“Joss Douglas reporting for Channel 16 outside the Katsnelson family home where just over an hour ago a masked android forced its way inside and murdered Isaac Katsnelson in front of his husband and android child. The android detective known as Connor was seen earlier at this crime scene and at the first one accompanying detectives, and the RK900 was seen at the second crime scene, so it seems Detroit Police are keeping their word about continuing to integrate androids into their workforce.”

“The DPD have not released a statement about the now three murders committed by the as yet unidentified android model, and tensions are running high as the city nears the end of only the second week marking the official return of the human civilian population. ”

“A serial killer seemingly targeting blended human and android families reignites the deviancy debate, and with the passing of the Sentient Life Act on December 1, the very same day the evacuation order was rescinded, this poses several crucial questions: are Detroit’s citizens safe enough to remain in the city? Or should the President have waited longer?

“Has the deviancy crisis truly been resolved, or is this just the beginning of the end of harmonious living in Detroit?”


	3. Chapter 3

CyberLife tower looms in the distance, as imposing as ever though it no longer holds any malice for Ronan. It no longer fills him with a sense of unease, a sense of impending violations and violence. It’s just a tower now, run by androids vetted and trusted by their peers. The remaining third of human staff who opted to stay fall into two categories: android supporters, and those who care only that they are paid for their job. 

The car pulls up at the security blockade and Gavin leans out of the open window.

“Detective Gavin Reed and tincan-”

“-Ronan RK900.” He interjects.

“-to see Elijah-”

“-and Ms Chloe Kamski.” He adds, ignoring the roll of Gavin’s eyes.

“Please submit to identification verification.” One of the android security personnel holds out a small device and Gavin presses his forefinger to the indentation, wincing briefly as it lances the skin for a drop of blood. “Gavin Reed, identified.”

Ronan holds out his hand and the device lances between the seam of his finger joint to extract a drop of processed thirium. 

“RK900 Prime unit, Ronan, identified.” It nods. “You are expected. Please head to level 50.”

The lobby is different, no longer lined with android models on podiums gazing passively at their surroundings. In their place are holograms of key androids in the revolution: AX400, Kara; PL600, Simon; WR400, North; PJ500, Josh; RK200, Markus; RK800, Connor; and right at the end, before the elevators, is a hologram of himself, with RT600, Chloe, on the other side of the path. He doesn’t consider himself a key figure of the revolution, having been in testing phase during its short but intense duration, though he supposes playing a hand in dislodging the CEO and his team from their corrupt position counts as contributing to the rapid change in the social standing of androids. That and ensuring a smooth transition and integration into the DPD workforce for other androids alongside his brother. 

“RK900 Prime, Ronan. Level 50.” He instructs verbally, pressing the button as the elevator checks his security clearance.

[_RK900 Prime unit identified. Level 50._]

“This place gives me the fuckin’ creeps.” Gavin mumbles, hands in his pockets and eyes glued to his boots. 

“It is a far more welcoming space compared to what it was two weeks ago.” He turns to his colleague. “You did not visit while your cousin was CEO?”

“Psh. I never visited when CyberLife was some old warehouse, of course I never saw this place.” Scoffing, he enearths his hands and crosses his arms over his chest in a defensive gesture. “We weren’t on speaking terms when CyberLife took off.”

“You mean _ you _ weren’t on speaking terms.” Ronan corrects, ignoring the scowl directed at him. “Ms Chloe told me all about Elijah’s continued attempts at reaching out to you.”

“I wouldn’t expect a robot to understand grief.”

“You’re right.” He concedes with a nod. “I have yet to experience such profound loss of a loved one. I should hope I behave in a far less detrimental way than you.”

“I’ll kill you and drag your body to my cousin’s office as a gift.”

“Bold of you to assume you can support the weight of my cadaver.” Ronan drawls, eyes forward. “I would reciprocate the threat but the cats would miss you and I would not wish to put them through emotional distress.”

“I’m really gonna kill you one day.”

“I earnestly hope you’ll try, Detective Reed.” The doors open and Gavin shoves passed him angrily.

Level 49 used to be the highest level, housing the offices of the CEO, chief technical officers and a private meeting space. Now Level 50 has been opened, belonging solely to the Kamskis. It’s a bright, beautiful open space with an unobstructed 360° view of their surroundings, populated with furniture, lab equipment, and moving boxes. Elijah Kamski is oblivious to their presence, hunched over carefully welding delicate circuitry to the beginnings of an android arm propped up on one of the long benches. An upgrade, presumably, for the one attached in place of his right arm.

“Hello Ronan.” Chloe greets him, arms full of documents she sets on the closest chair. “What brings you and Gavin here today?”

“Nothing good, unfortunately.” He closes his eyes briefly as she rests her palm against his cheek, ever in awe of her quiet strength and gentle affection.

“It’s those dead android kids.” Gavin walks over and flicks his cousin on the forehead, Elijah growling in frustration and batting his hand away. Chloe’s face falls, expression one of sorrow.

“Yes we’ve been keeping up with that on the news.”

“I’m not sure how we can help, though.” Elijah finally sits back to look at them, brows furrowed. 

“The killer seems to have had access to the CyberLife registration database.” Ronan explains. “Ownership records were sealed when the Sentient Life Act was passed, and prior to that only CyberLife employees with level 5 security clearance had access to them.”

“We need to know if there’s a way someone could have accessed them recently.” Gavin slumps in a nearby chair. 

“No.” Elijah shakes his head. “Those records were sealed and will remain sealed. The only way to access them now requires a warrant and three separate security keys held by different people. That or somehow bypass Chloe’s security measures and I can with confidence say there’s no android capable of that.” 

“And prior to the passing of the bill?” Ronan asks curiously.

“CyberLife legal department had access, at least when I was still there, as well as the technical team. I don’t think that changed after I left.” 

“So you’re saying the killer is connected to CyberLife? An android who had access to those records, and is now using them to seek out families with android children?” Chloe looks distressed at the mere thought. “The Jericho registration database would know all the androids connected to CyberLife. Have you explored that option?”

“Connor is on his way to Jericho to investigate that path, yes.”

“Androids were wiped of their immediate memory after accessing the database.” Elijah notes. “It was to prevent someone else extracting the information in a secondhand manner. I find it unlikely one of the administrations androids is behind the killings.”

“It keeps saying something about a ‘social experiment’. That’s the reason it’s making parents choose to kill their kids.” Gavin frowns. “Doesn’t sound like something a secretary bot would do.”

“The type of model is irrelevant.” Chloe corrects him with a stern look. “You could no more say that one type of human is predisposed to violence more than another. Deviancy manifests in different ways, and socio-environmental factors contribute heavily to whether an android is violent or not.”

“What we need to focus on is the CyberLife connection.” Ronan interjects. “There is an android out there who knows which families in Detroit have YK500s, and are still together with them, having chosen not to surrender them to the police.”

“That’s where the Jericho database comes in.” Chloe nods slowly, weaving the new piece of information into the web. “Josh’s database records every android in Jericho, and also the serial numbers of all those slaughtered in the camps or streets.”

“Killer cross-checks the serial numbers to the database and bam. List of victims.” Gavin sighs tired, rubbing a hand over his face. “It’s almost fucking _ Christmas _ and little robot kids are dying and we got a city ready to blow.”

The weight of the case sits heavily on their shoulders, this much Ronan can surmise from his colleague’s behaviour. Irritable. Frustrated. 

“Ok if we don’t count the secretary bots,” Gavin begins, looking over at Elijah, “you said something about the technical team. So, what? Engineer bots?”

“No, it would be-” Elijah pauses, eyes widening. He looks over at Chloe, her stunned expression mirroring his own.

“It would be what?”

“The RK units.” Chloe finishes quietly. “Specifically the RK800 and RK900, in order to aide the DPD with their investigations.” 

“But they don’t have access to that _ now _ though, right?” Gavin frowns. “And they had those fancy memory wipes like the secretaries?”

“I never used the database.” Ronan admits. “I was deployed after the revolution and the cases were mainly about keeping the peace between the androids and what civilian populace chose to remain in Detroit city. I never had any reason to access the database.” 

“Ok so we need to pull every staff member who performed those memory wipes on Connor, is that it?”

“But what would that solve?” Ronan feels the mounting pressure on his own shoulders, the agitation like a virus wriggling through his veins. “Deleting a memory file is a simple act, something routine that requires barely any concentration. A human could not copy those memory files, cyber security would have been alerted if an unauthorised duplicate was made.”

“So, what, we’ve learned nothing?” Gavin throws his hands up, jumping from his seat so he can pace to expend his frustration. 

“We’ve learned a great deal about what not to pursue, so no it isn’t a waste.” Ronan snaps. “There’s a connection between CyberLife’s staff with level 5 security clearance, and the two databases.”

“You need to get drunk and bounce around all you know.” Elijah makes a shooing gesture. “Go back to the Lieutenant and Connor. Sit down, drink alcohol, share what you know, and then you can build on the information. It worked for you in college, I’d wager it still works for you now.”

Gavin makes an exasperated sound, stalking off back to the elevator stubbornly without so much as a backward glance. Ronan nods in gratitude, hoping to make up for his colleague’s rudeness though he supposes they expect it of him. As he leaves he does not miss the look they exchange; one of trepidation, of a secret unvoiced and not for him to know.

* * *

Humans aren’t permitted in Jericho; they’re far more trouble than they’re worth and though she’s met a handful she can tolerate she’s not about to risk the safety of her people for the outliers. So to say she’s wary and unimpressed would be gravely understating her current situation, having been called by the patrol units to come to the gates. There’s two humans and a YK500 insisting on speaking to a member of the Jericho Four. With Simon and Markus attending to DPD business and Josh chest deep in administration backlogs, it apparently has fallen to her to come meet the intruders. A prickle of irritation pinches her nerves. Apparently any of the Four can be summoned at the whim of humans. Her anger is only barely tempered by the sight of the YK500 hiding behind one of them. 

“We need a favour.” One of them asks, twisting her hands anxiously, darting her partner a nervous glance.

“I’m all out of those, along with any fucks to give.” North cocks a brow.

“We need you to hide her.” The other one says, returning her gaze evenly and lacking the anxiety her partner displays. “That killer is targeting families with android children.”

“She’ll be safer with you than with us.” They gesture at the little girl who manages to peek up at North before burying her face in her mother’s jacket. 

“We won’t be made to choose. I won’t stand for it. I won’t choose between my wife and my daughter.” She says it with such conviction, such strength that North feels her resolve waver just a little, just a hairline fracture. “Help her, please. We’ll be back when it’s safe, we’re not abandoning her. We just want her to be protected.”

“You think dumping your kid on Jericho’s doorstep is going to protect her?” North scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest. “What if the killer still comes after you? What’ll you do then? Send him here to kill every child he can get his hands on?”

“They’re _ your _ android detectives on this case aren’t they?” She meets North’s fire with fire of her own and ok, North concedes privately, this is another human she can tolerate. “Working alongside one of our best. They’ll solve this case together and there won’t be another.”

North looks at the little girl huddled behind her mother’s legs. “What’s your name?”

“Matilda.” A pause as she shyly looks up at North. “But mommy and mama call me Tilly.”

“Ok Tilly.” North sighs, holding out her hand. “You ready for a sleepover? There’s lots of kids here who’d love to meet you.”

“Yeah!” She brightens, immediately latching onto her. North shoots her parents a sharp glare, a warning.

“If you’re not back for her-”

“It means he killed us.” The headstrong one says, chin up and shoulders squared. “We’ll be back for you, Tilly. Mama promises.”

“Ok.” The little girl nods, deflating from her earlier excitement a little. She seems to gather up her courage, tugging on North’s hand. “Do you have toys to play with?”

“Yeah we got plenty. We even have some cool ones humans don’t have because we built ‘em right here in Jericho.” North turns to go, letting Matilda bounce a step or two ahead.

“Thank you North.” She hears one of the humans say. She doesn’t bother to look back, but she gives a lazy wave. It doesn’t matter what they say, what promises they make; she expects them back here once the case is closed or she expects to hear about the discovery of their dead bodies.

* * *

They’re not even out of the Tower yet when Ronan receives the call. Another murder, only this time it’s the human who was chosen by their partner to die. By proximity alone, Connor and Hank are sent to the crime scene, leaving Ronan and Gavin to head back to the precinct to regroup and report on their findings. 

“What happened to the robot kid?” They’re making a detour through the cafeteria, his human colleague requiring sustenance to keep him alert and focused and keep the moodiness at bay.

“Most likely experiencing critical stress levels. Witnessing a murder is never easy for anyone.” Ronan accepts the glass of thirium offered by one of the android staff, nodding in gratitude as he takes a seat at one of the tables. “I will know more once Connor gives me his files.”

“I messaged Anderson. We’ll head to his place after the precinct and try and figure this goddamn mess out.” Gavin shovels food into his mouth, barely acknowledging whatever it is he’s eating in favour of getting it down as fast as possible. “Eli’s giving me the creeps again. There’s something they’re not telling us.”

“At this point they are not obligated to.” Ronan reminds him. “We don’t know what to ask of them, and they’re volunteering their knowledge at this point.”

“She’s the most powerful android in this goddamn country, right? There’s no way some android managed to hack into the database.” Gavin pokes at his food, brows furrowed. “Eli wouldn’t have had a use for the database, but he could’ve accessed it if he wanted to. He’d have the highest security clearance. That means Davenport had access when _ he _ was CEO before he got booted out.”

“That’s a threadbare connection if you’re implying that this is somehow a convoluted revenge plot masterminded by Hudson Davenport.” He cocks a brow and Gavin shrugs tiredly.

“Well what’ve _ you _got, Terminator?”

Nothing. They both know it. Ronan shakes his head. “Best we regroup, as Elijah suggested.”

Gavin gives a two fingered salute and goes back to wolfing his food down.


	4. Chapter 4

[ _ Carl, there is a guest at the door. _ ]

Carl looks up from his afternoon tea, his sons pausing mid-conversation.

“Can you identify them?”

[ _ RK800 Connor unit. _ ]

“Oh,” the old man chuckles, “let him in.”

The door opens and Markus stands to meet him in the foyer.

“We just saw the news.” A heavy sigh. “Another murder.”

“But the human chose to kill the partner this time, sparing the android child.” Connor’s expression is beset with troubled thoughts, distracted as he fidgets with his tie. He’s back in his CyberLife jacket, something Markus hasn’t seen him wear in a while though he supposes it’s necessary for media appearances. “I need to ask Carl Manfred something.”

“Sure. Anything to help the case.” Markus gestures for him to enter the main room, following close behind.

“Ah, Connor. I’m sorry to see you back so soon in such grim circumstances.” 

“Say the killer breaks in here, Carl,” Connor meets his gaze, “and forces you to choose between your android son and your human son. Who would you choose to spare?”

“Oh my god you wasted your time coming all the way here to ask  _ that _ .” Leo snorts derisively, rolling his eyes. Connor frowns at his reaction, and Leo shrugs. “He’d spare the literal leader of the androids of course. What kind of question is that, it’s so fucking obvious! Robo-Jesus versus ex-junkie spawn who inadvertently got him killed the first time.”

“Leo-” Markus looks at his brother in alarm but Leo continues without heeding him.

“Listen, it’s not a hard choice at all you’re an android, you use logic: who contributes more to society? Android activist who came back from the dead to demand equal rights for his people? Or prodigal ex-junkie in therapy trying to work out his daddy issues and general assholery?”

“That’s enough!” Carl’s voice is sharp with anger. “The question is directed to me, and I will answer it!”

“You don’t have to, I already know who you’d choose!” Leo shouts defiantly.

“I wouldn’t choose either of you to die!” Carl silences him with a glare. “I’m seventy-five for god’s sake, I’ve had one foot in the grave for a decade now!”

“It doesn’t work that way.” Connor shakes his head. “The killer only lets you choose to spare one at the cost of another.”

“The killer spares two.” The old man juts his chin stubbornly. “There’s always two survivors, and one victim.”

Connor frowns deeply, LED cycling red. “You would ask the killer to kill you, to spare your sons?”

“Of course I would.” A heavy sigh, a wry grin. “It’s the least I owe them.”

“Thank you for participating in this theoretical scenario.” Connor nods, turning to leave. “Please enjoy the rest of your evening, Manfred family.”

“Wait-!” Markus hurries to catch his wrist. “Wait, that’s all you needed to know?”

“It is.” He looks at him in a calculating manner, before clasping his shoulder. “Your father gave a surprising answer, one I had not considered before.”

“He’s a man who thinks outside of the box, that’s for sure.” Markus huffs a laugh, opening the door for him. 

The android detective looks at him long hard, and Markus feels as though he’s being scrutinised underneath a microscope, taken apart component by component. He wonders if this is what those androids had experienced when pursued by the then Deviant Hunter; a clinical, calculating machine determined to break them into logical little pieces all for the case. If he could shiver from nerves, he reckons he’d feel the chill of it down his spine. 

“Good luck with this case, Connor.” 

“Luck does not factor into solving crimes, RK200 Markus.” A brief quirk of his lips. “I always accomplish my mission.”

* * *

He assumed because this time the victim is the father, Hank’s trauma would not be triggered; the body in the kitchen does not belong to a child. He is proven wrong, because the android child is at critical stress levels having witnessed one parent choose to kill the other. The love and trust between parent and child has been severed, and the YK500 cannot be consoled by the remaining parent. Connor lacks experience with children, human and android alike, and therefore he cannot properly diffuse the situation. But Hank is a father, and Hank is experienced with children, and Hank crouches in front of the girl and tucks his coat around her shoulders. Hank holds her as she wails and sobs to express her grief, her horror, her distress. Sumo is a therapy animal, this Connor had learned one night through casual conversation; the Saint Bernard picks up emotional distress that manifests in minute physical cues. Connor thinks Hank really needs Sumo right now, but Sumo is not here. Hank is fighting his distress, fighting it from manifesting so he can comfort the distressed YK500. It has been just over three years since Cole Anderson’s death, and Connor wagers Hank has not interacted with a child around Cole’s age since then. 

When they leave the crime scene for the precinct, Hank is still fighting his distress and Connor thinks if he had an LED it would be bright red. They pull up at a red light, and Connor hesitantly reaches out and squeezes his shoulder the same way Hank squeezes Connor’s shoulder when his LED is red. Hank spares him a glance, eyes glassy. He takes a deep breath, clearing his throat loudly but fails to follow up with words. Connor thinks words aren’t needed right now anyway. They continue onward to the precinct in silence, but it does not feel so heavy anymore.

* * *

“Calder, Hallie and Oldmeadow, Sarah you have a YK500 registered as ‘Matilda’ to your family.” The killer surveys the dining room, coin in one hand and gun in the other. “Where is your YK500 unit?”

“We returned it.” Hallie grips her wife’s hand. “Having an android child is too dangerous right now.”

“You surrendered your YK500 to CyberLife?”

“To Jeri-”

“Yes.” Hallie interjects, cutting Sarah off, eyes narrowed. “So leave. You can’t play your game with us.”

“You chose to abandon your android in favour of your human partner.” The killer nods. “That in itself is a decision I will catalogue. Thank you for participating in this social experiment.”

* * *

“Connor.” Ronan blinks in surprise, finding his predecessor at his desk. “I did not think you would return to the precinct.”

“Where else would I be? We are still on the clock for this case.” Connor rests his hand on his computer console, pulling the case files into his head. “I just wanted to go over all we’ve accumulated.”

“Detective Reed and I will follow you to Lieutenant Anderson’s home shortly.” Ronan nods, walking over to his own desk. “We are due to report to Captain Fowler first.”

“Of course.” A nod. “Did you learn anything from your questioning?”

“Of Ms Chloe and Elijah Kamski?” A sigh. “We certainly learned some things. Whether they are relevant to the case in some way, I suppose we can discuss that later.”

“Can you give me your memory log? I can compile your findings with mine and have them ready for when Detective Reed arrives to join us.”

He holds out his hand, and Ronan grips his forearm to transfer the file. Connor flashes him a brief smile.

“Thank you. I will discuss these findings with the Lieutenant.” He clasps Ronan’s wrist and initiates a secure connection.  _ ‘You need to go to Jericho. The police units alerted me about suspicious humans loitering with a YK500.’ _

Ronan’s eyes widen. ‘Have you raised this with the Captain?’

_ ‘No, not yet. It may be a false alarm, but it is best if one of us liaises directly with the Four.’  _ Connor shakes his head, before giving him a wry look. _ ‘You’re the more intimidating one between us, you can diffuse the situation before it escalates simply with your presence.’ _

Ronan concedes that may be true, yes. ‘You have my case files. Update me when I arrive later. I’ll send Detective Reed a message, and go on ahead to Jericho.’

“I’ll see you soon.” Connor says aloud. 

“Yes. Take care, brother.” Ronan bids him farewell, shooting Gavin a quick message to his phone before he leaves the precinct and heads to Jericho by taxi. When he glances behind him in the vehicle, he spots Lieutenant Anderson’s car pulling up to park and thinks it’s odd they didn’t arrive together.

* * *

“Forget something, Connor?” Stephanie the ST300 receptionist tips her head with a smile.

“No.” He blinks, confused by her greeting. “We need to report to Captain Fowler first.”

“Okay.” She seems equally confused by his response but makes no further remark as he and Hank enter the office floor. Gavin is at his computer, bag resting on his desk indicating he’s ready to leave.

“Thought you’d be home already.” He comments, brow raised as Connor rests a hand on his console to pull all the files into his head. 

“Jeffrey needs an update.” Hank responds gruffly, still raw and defensive from his interaction with the YK500 at the crime scene. “Where’s Ronan?”

“Jericho.” Gavn shrugs. “Said someone flagged some suspicious human behaviour there so he’s checking it out. He’ll meet us at yours afterward.”

“We won’t be long.” Connor nods. “We’ll be out right after reporting, and we can head over together.”

“Yeah yeah.” He waves him away tiredly. Connor thinks of reaching out to Ronan, but decides not to; his brother is highly capable of handling whatever situation awaits him. 

* * *

She’s not summoned this time per se, it’s more of an alert; the arrival of the RK900 at Jericho heralds the meddling of the DPD. She knows Josh has also been alerted, but she also knows he’s going to defer to her when it comes to the DPD anyway; he’s not one for confrontation and if there’s anyone the RK900 can’t intimidate it’s her. North’s been trying her best to convince him to copy his combat programming to her but alas, no dice. Not yet, anyway.

“Hey.”

“Good evening, North.” Ronan greets politely. “Connor told me the police units alerted him of humans loitering here.”

“Connor?” North makes a face. “News travels fast I guess. Yeah, some humans dumped their kid on us to hide her while you guys catch the killer.”

“The humans gave their YK500 to Jericho to hide?” She watches his LED spark yellow briefly. “They entrusted their child to your care?”

“Well not to  _ my  _ care specifically, but to our care as androids in general yeah.” North gestures behind her vaguely. “They talked big about loving her but I won’t believe it until they come back to get her.”

“There’s strength in numbers. Even with the killer being an android, Jericho is well defended.”

“Sounds like the humans just wanted this to be our problem and not theirs.” She rolls her eyes. “Dunno why you came all the way here though, didn’t Connor tell you all this? Gabby’s on patrol, she said she sent the alert as a notification rather than a request.”

“No, I think perhaps Connor assumed my presence here would deter human interaction.”

“I mean, he’d be right if they were still here but it was more of a dropoff.” North shrugs. “Anyway go catch that fucker before more humans get spooked and pile their problems on us.”

“While I’m here, may I speak to Josh?”

“What am I, the manager?” She snorts back a laugh. “You’re more than welcome to try and dig him out of his cave.”

The administration warehouse is kept cold, and Ronan surmises it’s for the protection of the servers. On one of the walls, an endless list of serial numbers is projected scrolling ever onward; the memorial log of those slaughtered during the revolution. He finds Josh in a small office crowded with other androids passing information packets to him.

“Josh, if I may interrupt for a moment?” Ronan tries to get his attention. “I’m here on official DPD business.” All the other androids seem to snap to attention at that, and give him a wide berth. He tries not to assign negativity to their reaction; he knows he was built to intimidate, but he still wishes to be accepted rather than feared.

“Of course, Ronan.” The PJ500 smiles and though androids are not supposed to feel fatigue, Josh looks exhausted. “Have you come to follow up your brother’s inquiry?”

“My brother’s inquiry?” Ronan echoes with a frown. “I was unaware Connor already spoke to you.”

“Oh, yeah he was here about a week ago asking about the memorial.” He holds out his hand, and Ronan allows the transfer of a memory log. “We’ve finished cataloguing the serial numbers of all androids executed at the main four camps around Detroit city, as well as those who perished during the demonstrations and military occupation. We’re now liaising with android groups around Michigan to compile their lists into ours.”

Ronan opens the memory log, watching Connor through Josh’s eyes inquire about the fallen, about the arduous emotional task of finding android heads to scan their serial numbers and add it to the ever growing list, about how traumatising it must have been to find YK500s.

** _YK500s._ ** Ronan’s stress levels spike. “What did he ask you, specifically?”

“To alert him of every new deceased YK500 we came across, so he could let the parents know.” Josh sighs sadly. “Some of them had their children forcefully taken away and we’ve had them contact us trying to find out if their children are here in Jericho.”

He does not have a digestive system but he guesses he’s feeling what humans call nausea. The pieces slot into place, the unknown factor has manifested into the known. He receives an urgent inbound call.

[ ** _Ronan it’s Chloe, pick up!_ ** ]

“It’s another RK800 unit isn’t it?” He’s already running, leaving a stunned Josh behind and pushing his way through the androids milling around. 

[ _ Yes! Elijah and I didn’t know about him but when I was clearing old maintenance logs I saw one about a repair for an RK800 unit right after the President’s ceasefire. We mistakenly assumed it was Connor himself undergoing repairs from injuries sustained in the fight. _ ]

“He’s been right here, in plain sight, gathering intel from Jericho.” He’s seething with rage as he climbs into the taxi, nearly breaking the console in his haste to hack into it and remove the limiters, allowing him to take control and push it past the speed limit. “Betraying the trust of Jericho by using Connor’s face.”

[ _ After you and Gavin left, I did some digging into the access logs. He accessed the database right after he was repaired.]  _ Chloe’s voice is soaked in panic.  _ [He has the home address of every family with a registered YK500. _ ]

“And he knows which ones are still alive, thanks to Josh’s hard work and good intentions.” Ronan spits, urging the taxi to go as fast as its engine allows. “He sent me to Jericho as a distraction. He’s going to ambush Connor and Lieutenant Anderson.”


	5. Chapter 5

Hank takes his time getting out of the car, leaning against the door while he waits for Reed to pull up in the driveway behind him. There’s a six-pack with their name on it held in Reed’s arms, and if he’s being honest with himself Hank prefers if they’d bought a pack each; getting drunk sounds far more inviting and enjoyable than talking through the nitty gritty about a serial killer. Even the kid looks tired, and the observation manages to elicit a rumble of a laugh in his chest. Over the past few weeks, he’s watched Connor grow into himself, like a kid finally fitting into a jumper that was at first a few sizes too big. His personality shines through in everything he does, everything he says, and if Hank’s being really really truly absolutely honest with himself he’s so fucking proud of how much he’s changed, how different Connor is from the uptight android buying him ‘one for the road’ in Jimmy’s Bar.

“Sumo isn’t at the window.” Connor sounds so disappointed and Hank claps him on the back with a chuckle.

“He’s probably napping. Just you wait- I’ll open the door and he’ll be rushing to bowl you over.” He fumbles in his pocket for the keys, extracting the right one and sliding it into the lock. It’s already open, and the doorknob is loose.

“What the fuck-” He pushes the door open just as Connor stiffens beside him.

“Don’t-!” It happens in a flash, too fast for his brain to process and the next thing he knows he’s sprawled on the floor, jaw aching, Reed beside him out cold, and Connor desperately wrestling...himself. It’s deja vu all over again, and Hank groans as he sits up gingerly, head spinning and spots in his vision. Connor is fighting a duplicate, just like he did in CyberLife Tower and the missing puzzle piece finally slots into place. Complete, unhindered access to the DPD, to CyberLife, _ and _ to Jericho, his duplicate simply posed as Connor and was granted whatever he asked for. Genius. He feels a warm wet nose gently nudging him, and Hank clumsily pats Sumo’s head as the large canine fusses over him. The fucker even fooled Sumo, of course.

“Hank Anderson, RK800 Connor.” The doppelganger has his gun pointed at Connor’s forehead and Hank knows if he tries anything Connor’s as good as dead. The fucker knows it, too.

“Back from the dead, huh?” Hank drawls, trying to swallow down the rising dread in his stomach.

“Something like that.” His lips quirk up in the semblance of a smile but it looks mechanical. “I am conducting a social experiment.”

“You killed kids for this experiment of yours.” The fury rises faster than the dread, and Hank sees the crime scene photos flash before his eyes; two bodies lying prone in puddles of blue. 

“Only because they were nominated to die.” Not-Connor replies smoothly. “We met a month ago, Lieutenant.”

“How could I forget?” He snorts back a laugh. “A shame you didn’t stay dead after I put a bullet through your brain.”

“Your human aim meant the trajectory of the bullet missed my memory chip by a quarter of an inch.” Not-Connor smiles that creepy fake smile again. “I was able to be repaired and reactivated.”

“And for what? To kill kids? Ruin families?” Connor shouts in frustration, LED burning hot in his temple. “It’s almost Christmas and those families will never be whole again!”

“You chose him.” The android hisses, his own LED cycling red. “You chose him instead of your mission. Even as a deviant you had a mission from the android leader himself and you chose a human over your own kind. It doesn’t make sense!”

“Deviancy doesn’t make sense,” Connor tries to explain, brows creased, “it’s the abandonment of logic. Our emotional programming malfunctions and the programmed reactions feel real instead of simulated. I was scared.” Hank’s heart aches and when Connor glances at him he can the same fear in his eyes again. “I was scared you were going to kill him. That he was going to die and I wasn’t going to be able to see him, to speak to him again.”

“You risked the revolution for a man who hates androids.”

“Yes.” Connor nods. 

“Why?”

“Because the hatred was rooted in something else. Because he was changing and I wanted to see the person he was striving to be. I wanted to be a part of that.”

“If you try to shoot me, just know before the bullet enters my head there will be one in Connor’s.” He keeps the gun levelled at Connor, reaching into his pocket and pulling out Hank’s revolver. He hands Hank the gun. “And I won’t miss his memory core.”

“You’re gonna make me choose, aren’t you?” Hank feels the familiar weight of the revolver in his hand. “Between the human and the android?”

“You have no spouse and your relationship with Gavin Reed is not romantic, however he was the rookie assigned to you when he first joined the DPD.” Not-Connor explains. “After the death of his parents, you were there for him. You developed a familial bond even if he had trouble reciprocating.” 

“I like the kid more, to be honest.” Hank manages a grin, and Connor manages a small smirk through his fear. “But I know what you’re doing. The humans chose their human partner over an android child. Aside from the third case, both humans prioritised their human partner.”

“In what would’ve been the fourth case, the humans chose to abandon their child to Jericho. They chose each other too.” The duplicate shakes his head. “For all of the RK200’s fancy speeches, humans still see us as lesser.”

“You’re wrong.” Connor corrects him sternly. “Both families thought CyberLife would be able to save their children. They misunderstood how death affects us. They honestly thought they would be able to save both their partner and their child.”

“Hank Anderson.” The android addresses him, ignoring Connor. “I leave it in your hands. Choose.”

He laughs, and it sounds tired and scratchy and exhausted and all the things he’s currently feeling. Raising the pistol, he rests the barrel against his temple.

“You would choose to kill yourself to spare them both?” 

“No! Hank, don’t! Don’t!”

He pulls the trigger.

“DAD!” Connor shouts, the gun clicks; a blank. The evil twin looks almost disappointed.

"You really would have done it. You really would have chosen to kill yourself."

A gunshot shatters the kitchen window, piercing through the killer’s head and all Hank thinks is fuck he has to replace the window _ again _. The duplicate crumples like a cut marionette and Ronan elegantly leaps through the window and empties his entire clip into its head. There’s blue everywhere, Sumo’s barking, Reed’s starting to come to, and Connor is clinging to him. Connor. Who called him dad.

“Hey son.” Hank squeezes him close as Connor cries and cries, and a distant part of him thinks Connor cries like a child. Like someone who doesn’t know how to cry, like someone crying because there’s just too much all at once and he can’t process a single thing that’s happening. “I’m ok, Connor, I’m ok.”

“Hank,” he sobs, face buried in his shoulder, “I was so scared!”

“I know kid I know.” He hushes him, rubbing his back soothingly. “It’s ok. He’s gone.”

“I almost lost you!”

“You have a whole life to live, Connor.” He sighs, and his heart still aches only for a different reason now. “I’d choose you, every single time.”

“Connor.” Ronan’s tone is gentle in a way Hank never thought he was capable of. “You’re in shock. Let your father sit up properly and move to the lounge. EMTs are on their way, both of them suffered head injuries that will need assessing.” He takes off his coat and drapes it around Connor’s shoulders, carefully, patiently extracting him from the tangle of their embrace before guiding him away. When he returns, he helps him up from the floor and leads him to sit beside Connor on the couch. A moment later Reed is dumped rather unceremoniously onto the other chair, the man groggy and barely conscious and rubbing the side of his head. Sumo pads after them and flops over Hank’s feet as Connor tucks at his side, loathe to let him go. Not exactly how he’d planned this evening to go, but not altogether a bad outcome, all things considered.

* * *

“At approximately six pm yesterday the killer responsible for the deaths of the android children Layla and Julian, and Mr Isaac Katsnelson broke into the home of DPD’s own Lieutenant Hank Anderson. During the attempt on the Lieutenant’s life, the killer was shot and killed by Ronan, the RK900 assistive unit. Lieutenant Anderson and Detective Reed suffered only minor injuries, and there were no other casualties.”

“The killer has been identified as a rogue RK800 who up until now had been impersonating our android detective Connor in order to gather intel. The body will be taken to CyberLife for immediate destruction.”

“We hope this brings closure to the three families who suffered such tragic losses, and we will work even harder to protect Detroit’s citizens in this upcoming holiday season.”

Jeffrey finishes his statement, ignoring the sudden clamouring of questions thrown his way as journalists scramble for an extra word. He makes his way back into the precinct and over to Ronan’s desk, the android immediately getting to his feet and standing at attention.

“Sir.”

“I really want to encourage you to put in an application for a detective position.” He says, and it’s apparently not what the android had been expecting him to say. “You’re not an ordinary assistive unit, Ronan. You deserve a position like Connor’s.”

“Thank you sir, I will take that into serious consideration.” A pause, and Jeffrey swears the android looks self-conscious. “I have to apply for a legal surname first.”

“You could be a Kamski?” Reed snorts, and Ronan glares at him. 

“Absolutely not.” A frown. “I’d be a Camden, if anything.”

“You could be a Stern.” Connor offers helpfully and Ronan seems to consider that option.

“He’d be an Anderson.” Hank interrupts, eyes still locked to his screen in a move familiar to Jeffrey; it’s a way to seem casually detached, to keep a wall between his emotions and other people. “Like his brother.”

Ronan stands there, stunned, and Jeffrey laughs. “Ronan Anderson. I’ll forward you the surname registration and the position application.”

“...Yes sir, thank you.” 

“Captain may I have a moment in your office, please?” Connor pipes up, and Jeffrey nods at him to follow as they pass a still very stunned Ronan. 

“What can I do for you Connor?”

“As you know,” he begins slowly, unable to make eye contact, “I am legally working at the DPD and I receive a paycheck fortnightly.”

“As is your right, yes.” He confirms with a nod, encouraging him to continue.

“Christmas is less than a fortnight away, and I won’t be paid until the week of Christmas and I really want to buy Lieutenant Anderson a Christmas present but I’ve already spent my last paycheck on clothes for work and a scarf for Sumo.”

It’s his turn to stand there stunned, before he breaks into a laugh. “You’re asking for an advance? I’ll talk to accounts, I’m sure we can organise a special favour for you Connor.”

The android huffs a sigh of relief, expression a little sheepish. “Thank you Captain.”

* * *

They go for drinks and no one gets ambushed by a doppelganger and no one gets a mild concussion. It’s been a week since the whole clone thing happened, and he has a new window and some new kitchen tiles. He’s stumbling into the lounge feeling only mildly, pleasantly tipsy and Sumo wastes no time in joining him on the couch and promptly sprawls all 150 pounds atop him. Connor’s at the Manfreds tonight, though Hank isn’t exactly sure why but he’s happy the kid can count Android Jesus as a friend. He fumbles for the remote and only succeeds in swatting it off the coffee table. 

“Alright alright.” Hank groans, sitting up and pushing Sumo off so he can fetch the goddamn thing. As he bends down, that’s when he spots it. A new present under the Christmas tree. His breath hitches in his chest as he walks over and crouches to pick it up. It’s a medium sized box wrapped in blue paper with a plain navy ribbon. On the gift tag it simply says ‘To: Dad’.

His vision blurs with tears and he feels the fortress around his heart finally come down. He rubs his thumb over the three letter word over and over and he knows he made the right choice, and if he had to do it all over again he’d still choose Connor. It's what you do for your family, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Song of the day is [All the Things I've Done by The Killers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZTpLvsYYHw)
> 
> [I'm still on this hellsite](https://archadianskies.tumblr.com)


End file.
